Native Plants in Rain Gardens

© 2011, Ronda Fischer

R o n d a F i s c h e r , R L A , A S L AF i s c h e r D e s i g n , L L C

fi s c h e r d e s i g n @ t d s . n e t 3 1 7 . 9 1 0 . 8 1 6 4 w w w . fi s c h e r d e s i g n l l c . c o m

Rain Garden Plants Must Tolerate Alternating Cycles of Wet and Dry Soil Conditions.

Natives verses Non-Natives

Deep Root Systems of Native Plants

Natives verses Non-Natives

L e s s W a t e r i n g N o F e r ti l i z e r s N o P e s ti c i d e sNative Plants Require Less Care Once Established

Natives verses Non-Natives

Native Plants Provide Valuable Wildlife Habitat B i r d s , B u tt e r fl i e s a n d M a n y B e n e fi c i a l I n s e c t s

Natives verses Non-Natives

Light RequirementsM o r e P l a n t C h o i c e s i n F u l l S u n

Plant Selection

Moisture RequirementsB o tt o m , S i d e s & R i m

Plant Selection

Plant TypeT r e e s S h r u b s P e r e n n i a l s G r a s s e s

Plant Selection

Mature Height and AggressivenessL o w e r S t a t u r e P l a n t s P r e v e n t W e e d y L o o k

Plant Selection

Bloom Times, Textures and Colors

Cardinal FlowerAug.-Sept.

Bottle GentianSept.-Oct.

Golden RagwortApril-May

Plant Selection

AppearanceB o r d e r s & M o w n E d g e s M a i n t a i n a K e p t A p p e a r a n c e

Plant Selection

Use a Variety of Species to Naturally Select

Plant Selection

Other Special ConsiderationsS e l e c t P l a n t s t o A tt r a c t S o n g b i r d s , B u tt e r fl i e s a n d

O t h e r B e n e fi c i a l I n s e c t s

Plant Selection

ConsiderationsS p a c i n g , P l a n ti n g T i m e , D i s t r i b u ti o n

M i n i m i z e S o i l C o m p a c ti o n , M u l c h i n g , F l a g g i n g

Planting

The First Few YearsN a ti v e P l a n t s a r e E s t a b l i s h i n g R o o t s S y s t e m s

Expectations

H a n d W e e d W a t e rM a i n t a i n M u l c h t o P r o t e c t S o i l

R e p a i r D a m a g e a n d E r o s i o nN e v e r U s e F e r ti l i z e r s o r P e s ti c i d e s

A n n u a l R e m o v a l o f P r e v i o u s Y e a r ’ s G r o w t h

Maintenance

Grasses and Sedges

Yellow Fox Sedge1’-2’

Brome Hummock Sedge1’

Frank’s Sedge1’-2’

Meadow Sedge1’

Native Plants

Grasses and Sedges

Fox Sedge1’-2’

Tufted Hair Grass1’-2’

Reddish Bulrush3’-4’

Prairie Dropseed1’-2’

Native Plants

Wildflowers for Bottom

Blue Flag 1’-2’

May-June

Marsh Milkweed3’-4’

July-Aug

Autumn Sneezeweed3’-4’

Sept-Oct

Monkeyflower2’-4’

July-Aug

Native Plants

Sweet Black-Eyed Susan3’-4’

Aug-Sept

Smooth Ironweed3’-4’

Aug-Sept

Native Plants

Wildflowers for Bottom

Bluemist Flower1’-2’

Aug-Sept

Bottle Gentian1’-2’

Sept-Oct

Cardinal Flower2’-3’

Aug-Sept

Great Blue Lobelia2’-3’

Aug-Sept

Wildflowers for Sides

Native Plants

Smooth Beardtongue1’-2’

May-June

Foxglove Beardtongue1’-2’

May-June

Mountain Mint1’-2’

July-Aug

Golden Ragwort1’-2’

April-May

Native Plants

Wildflowers for Sides

Obedient Plant2’-3’

Aug-Sept

Shining Aster3’-4’

Sept-Oct

New England Aster3’-4’

Sept-Oct

Boneset3’-4’

Aug-Sept

Wildflowers for Sides

Native Plants

Dense Blazing Star3’-5’

July-Aug

Riddell’s Goldenrod2’-3’

Sept-Oct

Purple Coneflower2’-3’

July-Aug

Native Plants

Wildflowers for Sides

Thank You

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